The next day, it felt like they hit a road block. They had questioned everyone in town that used to be in Gazelle's choir and all of them had shown them their rings. They were sitting in their office as they went over what they had found out in the case.
"The only ones that didn't show us their rings was Gina and Vivian. And we've yet to question those remaining classmates that live out of Zootopia."
"I've gotten texts from Finnick telling me that he can't find any of those animals on his list but he said he'll keep trying as long as you remember your promise." he smirked.
She grabbed his phone and glared, "It doesn't say that on here." she gave it back.
"Just a friendly reminder, he is after all doing a solid for us."
She strongly said, "I'm aware of that. But I'm mostly occupied by the fact that none of these old classmates was at the party. They weren't on the guest list so they couldn't get it."
"They could have hired someone on the inside."
"Maybe. All the guests were questioned after the chief and team arrived, the reports tell us they were shocked to see the chandelier almost falling on the guests."
"But that doesn't mean one of them could have snuck away to mess with the chandelier."
"Then there's the attempted kidnapping… We know Vivian didn't have anything to do with it because she was with us during that time."
"So that makes her in the clear."
Hm, he sounded a little too relieved there… Judy felt so conflicted, she was glad Vivian wasn't responsible for the kidnapping but she didn't make her feel at ease that Nick seemed too happy for her innocence.
The fox noticed the turmoil on her face, "What's the matter?"
"Oh, I'm just… feeling tired and flustered, I never felt this helpless with a case," or you…
"Maybe you'll feel better once you get some sleep. Come to think of it, I could use some too." he smiled, "We could camp-out at my apartment again." figuring Judy would go for that, but was taken aback when she responded.
"No! I mean… I think I'll sleep at my own place this time."
"You sure? You know you're never going to sleep with those neighbors making so much noise."
"I'll manage. Thanks for the offer though." she started getting up, "Meet me at Big's house in six hours?"
"Uh, sure? But Judy what's-" but the bunny was already gone thanks to those fast feet of hers. What in the… Was it something I did? Or said? He started thinking about the last few days. Everything seemed fine expect when they had to visit Vivian and Judy was taken back by him almost proposing. She couldn't still be worrying about that is she? Then he remembered what Finnick said. She's afraid of losing me… There's got to be some way of proving to her that won't happen…
Judy was back in her own apartment but she found sleep eluding her for two reasons, the neighbors having blaring music on and her conscience was keeping her up. Guilt for snooping in something she shouldn't have seen and has regretted looking. Her love for Nick was great, but she couldn't bring it to herself to tell him of the awful thing she did of invading his privacy like that. She needed advice.
She found the contact in her phone and pushed on it. It rang until Fru-Fru picked up, "Hey, girl!"
Judy gave a tiny grin, "Hi, Fru…"
"What's wrong?"
The bunny sighed, "Fru… I need your help."
"Of course, I'll help in any way I can." she gasped, "Did something happen between you and Nicky?!"
"Sort-of… I… I may have found something in his apartment without him knowing, it was a box of old memos he kept from past relationships he had and one of those memos held a picture of him and the vixen he wanted to marry before she left him."
"Oh my…"
Tears started falling, "That's other thing, is it wrong for me to admit that I'm glad she left him? I don't like how she treated him but if she hadn't left when she did, I never would have met him and my life would have taken a very different direction without him."
"I understand. That's a normal thing to feel toward your sweetheart. You feel threaten toward this female he had in his life before you came along. How close they were… I've been there, I've dated many a shrew to feel the jealousy from the things they did with their ex-girlfriends. My own honey dated shrews and other rodents and I was upset when hearing how they dated. But it just showed how much I loved him because I wanted to been his and for him to be mine."
"Yes! That's exactly how I feel! You remember that talk we had after I came back from Gazelle's party?"
"Of course."
"I know it may seem I'm jumping the gun but I really want Nick for my husband…"
"Because you believe he's the one for you, not that I don't disagree. But there's one thing you should know about marriage is that you have to be honest with each other. But that's not going to happen for you if you can't come clean with Nick, he's already had one dishonest relationship, does he really need another one?"
Judy blinked in bewilderment. "You're right… I should have just come out with it in the first place!"
One of the voices suddenly spoke, "That's good, because your boyfriend's been listening in at your door."
"What?!" she rushed to the door only to see the end of a fox's tail disappearing around the corner of the hallway, she looked down to find a single rose. She picked it up. He must have come over to bring it… That sweet fox… Only now, he's overheard everything…
Fru-Fru was still on the phone, "What happened?"
"Nick was here, he overheard."
"Oh dear…"
Judy turned to the wall, "How did know you he was there?"
The other voice said, "We were fighting over whose turn it was to take out the garbage and when we finally settled on it with an arm wrestling match, I lost. I took the bag out and saw the fox listening on his girlfriend."
She put her paws to her face.
Judy was in little Judy's nursery as she watched Fru-Fru feeding the baby her bottle. Fru encouraged her best friend to come early at the house so she could comfort her in person. Judy watched the clock as she dreaded for Nick's arrival, but she was also afraid he wouldn't show up. The shrew read her mind.
"This is the greatest test in any relationship, seeing if you have the ability to make up."
"We have the ability, I just wonder if we'll still be a couple after this…"
"You'll soon find out."
Judy gave a small smile and left the room to quickly check on Gazelle who was sleeping in the next room. It was a good feeling to have seeing the gazelle she had to protect was sleeping peacefully. She envied for that kind of sleep but she won't rest until everything with Nick was straightened out. She could remember the sleepless nights she had after the falling out they had after her talking to the press. She couldn't sleep knowing she drove a wedge between Zootopia and her friendship with Nick…
She lost sleep over the fox but she had no idea why as her attraction to him wasn't obvious until Bellwether cornered them in the museum, how they looked out for each other… Then when they staged the savage fox act, she realized just much he meant to her even if it was just the blueberry they replaced with the Night Howler serum, seeing him getting hit like that… she made a solemn vow she wouldn't let anything happen to him because she loved him.
Clever fox… He figured it out… she remember those exact words to her on their first day of patrol together.
"You know you love me…"
Now the question was, did he love her as much?
Her thoughts were interrupted when a polar bear escorted a fox carrying a box. The same box that all his memos in it. They ended staring at each other. Neither of them said anything until the polar bear went ahead and Nick approached her.
"Hi."
"Hi."
They overlapped.
"About the door-"
"About the box-"
They stopped and gave out light laughter.
"I didn't mean to listen in." said Nick, "I was just trying to tell you how much you mean to me when I overhear you. I realized it was going to take more than a flower to show you the love that I have for you."
"But… I invaded your privacy… how can you still care for me after that?"
"Sure I was upset, but you wouldn't be the bunny cop you are if you weren't snoopy. That's something I'll always admire about you, Carrots. But next time, ask."
She touched her heart in awe and nodded until she frowned at the box, "So… why do you have that with you?"
"It's an explanation." he set it down and opened it to reveal the keepsakes, "I kept these things as a way to remind myself that they can't get to me no matter the hurt. But it ended up hurting you instead. You been so worried in losing me that it should I have been worried in losing you… I pushed you away once, I am not doing that again." he held her paws, "I'm always there for you, Judy, my support, my love, my trust…"
Still holding on, she used his paws to wipe away her tears of joy from his proclamation of love. "And you have my support, my love, and my trust…"
They moved in for a sweet tender kiss. Once they let go he picked up the box and headed for Mr. Big's office.
Judy was confused, "What are you doing?"
"With Big's help, I'm going to dispose of this box."
"Why?"
"So I can let go of the past and focus on you."
"You don't have-"
He cut her off, "I want to. It's good for me and it's good for us."
Once the crime boss gave the signal, the ice pool was revealed.
Nick was at the edge of the water and looked back at Judy with a smile. He could remember them about to be iced, ironically, that was what broke the ice between their resentment toward the other and started cooperating together. He tossed the box in, with the picture of Vivian and him hovering to him. He saw Judy's concern and right away he tore the photo and threw the scraps in the cold water. The waterlogged box and bits of paper sunk down as the polar bear closed it up and Nick's mementos were gone.
He said, "Ice for the memories." turning to Judy, "Get it? Ice?"
"I get it." she dully said but was smiling.
The sat together on a couch in a private room, drinking hot chocolate after Fru-Fru insisted they be left alone.
"So… I heard something about husband…?" he smirked.
She felt her cheeks redden, "It was just something I said in the heat of the moment."
"But do you really feel that way?"
"Well… yes… Fru-Fru asked after the party of when I might hear my wedding bells, I had to say it would be awhile, but I hope that maybe… we would…"
He held her closer, "You want to know something crazy?"
"What?"
"I had a dream about our wedding."
"What?! Really?!" her eyes gleamed.
"Yeah, then Finnick and Clawhauser jokes about weddings and I'm starting to wonder if fate was conspiring against me."
"I think fate has been conspiring against us from the start. What were the odds I would need you as a lead to Mr. Otterton?"
"Hey, I'll take those odds any day. The day we met in that ice cream parlor, our destinies were sealed." he rubbed her finger; a nice ring would look beautiful on this finger…
Judy was relaxing on his chest and shut her eyes looking comfortable.
Nick smirked as he whispered, "Jude the dude… that does have a nice ring to it."
Her eyes went wide open and faced him with horror, "How… how did you…?
"After I discovered you found my box I decided to find some juicy secrets about a younger Judy Hopps. So I called your parents and your dad told me he used to call you Jude the dude and your mother had lots of stories about what you did as a baby. It was just too adorable!" he laughed.
She moaned in embarrassment, Serves me right… Guess that's the lesson here, never snoop in your boyfriend's past or he'll find some way to get back at you.
Nick calmed down and wrapped his arms around her and gently set her down on the couch, moving his tail on her acting like a blanket. They laid there together as he said, "As much as I like Jude the dude, I prefer Carrots, anytime…"
They smiled at each other.
"I love you, sly fox…"
"I love you, dumb bunny…"
